Mattress Repair, Replacement and Refund? Fair Trading/Harvey Norman

Lphirippu on 27/08/2019 - 21:04
Last edited 28/08/2019 - 09:59 by 1 other user

Hi fellow Ozbargainers! I need the assistance of this knowledgeable and experienced community.

Purchased a new mattress April 2018. This year mattress started forming impressions under the body, becoming more sizeable. They now exceed 40mm (which is the acceptable threshold according to the manufacturer warranty). Currently sitting at about 48 mm. Both of us are a healthy 75kg, so weight is not an issue. The slumps are obviously annoying after a bit more than a year of use (I should add we were away on our honeymoon for two months). The unevenness of the mattress is making it uncomfortable. Kind of pointless for a bed, am I right?

Contacted retailer, Harvey Norman, for a replacement. I was told that I have to accept a free manufacturer repair per warranty as the defect is 'minor' according to HN. The manufacturer sent an inspector who confirmed the mattress exceeds the tolerance for body impressions - they did not comment on whether defect is major or minor, but said mattress would need to be picked up and inspected at factory, and then repaired.

I find this whole procedure ridiculous. The mattress is less than two years old, cost 3000 dollars and has a 10 year warranty. I do not want a temporary replacement mattress from god knows where while they repair it (my wife is pregnant in her third trimester), they could not pick the mattress up until two weeks after initial in home inspection, and the whole process seems like a big waste of time for me as I have to be home during business hours for inspections, pickups etc. I just wanted a replacement. I pointed out to HN that the mattress is not of acceptable quality per Aus Consumer Law, and I would not have bought it had I known of this. The sales rep didn't even tell me to expect the mattress to have impressions to 40mm as 'acceptable'.

I have contacted Fair Trading, who have not yet got back to me after speaking to HN. Can anyone advise on fastest/best ways forward? Should I just go straight to NCAT? Now I just want a refund and to move on from HN!

Home & Garden

Related Stores

Harvey Norman
Harvey Norman

Comments

  • robbyjones on 27/08/2019 - 21:47
    +1

    You can go down the Fair Trading track however this will take much longer than just having the manufacturer pick up the bed for repair, plus there is the possibility that Fair Trading may advise that the manufacturer are within their rights to pick up and repair whilst providing a replacement (and this seems reasonable to me). If you don't have a specific replacement warranty then I would say you are SOL.

  • twobit on 27/08/2019 - 21:52

    I had a similar issue in the past (now use the box mattresses), basically no matter how much i pushed it, the matress was repaired by replacing inside stuff. Took about a month.

    • savage bargain on 27/08/2019 - 23:33

      Same here. And then the fix sagged to 38mm which was still noticeable. All you can do is push for the fix and that's about it.

      We also switched to box mattresses for the same reason.

      • phirippu on 28/08/2019 - 06:34

        I have now come across people complaining online saying that the sag returns and they needed two or three remove and repairs within a few years. The bed business seems like it needs a quality shake up.

        Do you get the same issue with box mattresses? Are the advantages to box mattresses just that they are cheaper and you replace after a while?

        • brad1-8tsi on 28/08/2019 - 08:29

          My box mattress is starting to sag noticeably after 12 months but it was only $500. I'm 77kg so not a weight issue and I rotate it every 3-4 months.

          I think the best choice these days is a non-pillowtop mattress that can be flipped as well as rotated. I had one of those a few mattresses back and it was still flat at 10 years. I regret "upgrading".

        • savage bargain on 28/08/2019 - 09:06

          We haven't got the sag yet with ours (it's been 5 years but we do rotate every time the sheets get a wash), but if it did, we would just buy a replacement because it's cheaper.

          Same as Brad1-8tsi, I had one years ago that could be used on both sides and it latest the longest (10+ years). But when we bought the last pocket spring, after going to 5 stores, at the time there was no mattress there that could be used either side.

          If there is a mattress that can be flipped as well as rotated, that probably would last longer again - then I would be willing to spend more on that.

  • afoveht on 28/08/2019 - 00:06
    +10

    Honeymoons, pregnancies… perhaps this bed has just had too much wear and tear?

  • whooah1979 on 28/08/2019 - 05:44
    +1

    Working with the manufacturer and allowing them to repair the good is the fastest/best way. Anything else may cost more and give you headaches.

  • phirippu on 28/08/2019 - 06:36

    Thanks all for your advice!

  • jason101 on 28/08/2019 - 07:12

    Ironic post, I was looking at our bed yesterday when changing the sheets/protector and noticed a similar issue - Any mattress manufacturers out there?? Is this due to modern more expensive mattresses having a memory type foam topper on top of the coils and being "non flippable" and non reversible as head, booty and foot areas contain different springs. ie/ Foam compresses, it wears out - nothing can be done, buy a new mattress every 3-4 years?

  • ihbh on 28/08/2019 - 09:16

    Can you pls do a search and replace of bed for mattress.

  • HighAndDry on 28/08/2019 - 12:13

    mattress would need to be picked up and inspected at factory, and then repaired.

    Seems reasonable enough. What's ridiculous about this?

    • phirippu on 28/08/2019 - 20:14

      For one, the time-frame between initial complaint and return of mattress - 1 month - seems unreasonable. You have to take a day off work just to be home for the initial inspection, and they do not even take the faulty mattress away that day - you have to book in another date for pickup. So the whole thing is an unnecessary hassle.

      Second, unless I am mistaken, if an item is not of acceptable quality, I should be entitled to a replacement or refund under consumer law. If I have doubts about the quality of the product, and it has a defect, I don't particularly want to keep getting it repaired again and again. I would rather go buy a different bed.

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join